> If Fitbit had to steal secrets to produce such an inferior product, how the heck did Xiaomi do this? Did they kidnap people from Jawbone (or someone else) and enslave them?

I am similarly curious as to any technical reasons why this would have been considered "necessary".

Possibly someone felt a development death march? Of course, it's entirely possible that Fitbit didn't need to, that this was a matter of lack of morals and some odd combination of laziness, stupidity, and hubris.

The corporate version of a guy who shoplifts a $5 widget but has a wad of cash in his pocket. Sometimes criminals are just stupid.